The Coming of the King

Intro

Have you ever received something you didn’t deserve? In a good way. If you have, you have experienced grace. Grace is receiving what you do not deserve.

Ill. Family giving me money to come back to school

Main Idea: Grace is given to the undeserving.

Months after Elizabeth conceives of John, Gabriel visits Mary. The comparison of Mary and Elizabeth is stark. Abraham and Sarah, Hagar. Status, none.

Need: What do we do with grace?

Truth #1: God gives grace to whom he chooses (26-29)

Exp. This is where we are introduced to Mary. Gabriel visited Elizabeth and now Mary. Verse 26-27. Virgin. Sets up Isaiah 7 prophecy. And house of David. Verse 28. He says two things: O favored one - she is recipient of his grace. Favored - given grace. Did not earn it. Second = The Lord is with you. Not only grace, but presence. This was completely undeserving.

Ill. Not like getting a promotion when deserved. Like promoting the janitor to CEO. Doesn’t make sense. Only grace given through generosity.

Arg. It’s obvious her response showed she was not expecting it. Verse 29. Grace is only grace if it is undeserved. Breaks the Catholic argument. She couldn’t have deserved it because it wouldn’t have been grace. God gives to whom he chooses. Gave grace to Abraham, Moses, David, and Israel. Ultimately to us.

Christ - Jesus was the avenue in which Mary received unmerited grace, and he is the same for us. God extends his grace to those whom he chooses. The angels even say to the shepherds later:

Luke 2:14

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Christ - We are undeserving of his grace, and yet he gives it in Christ.

App. What do we do?

You must know: God doesn’t give grace to the worthy. He gives grace to whom he pleases.

It must lead to gratitude. Ingratitude is not becoming of a recipient of grace.

Truth #2: God’s grace fulfills his plan (30-33)

Exp. His grace toward her is part of his plan. Gabriel reveals it. Verse 30-31. Do not be afraid. Conception. His name is Jesus. The Lord is Salvation. He then makes five predictions about Jesus:

Verse 32. He will be great…different from John the Baptist. Used of God in Deuteronomy 10.

Verse 32. Son of the Most High…Equivalent to son of God. Most High used for God in reference to Melchizedek.

Verse 32. Throne of his father David…Fulfillment of David covenant.

Verse 33. Reign over Jacob…Reign over God’s people. What God said he would do.

Verse 33. Eternal kingdom…Fulfillment of David covenant and Daniel 7:14.

Exp. God’s plan all along. Jesus is the gift of grace to inaugurate God’s plan!

Ill. Getting Christian a water bottle. He didn’t deserve it, but it was to prepare him for Disney! My gift served a greater purpose!

Arg. God’s offering of grace is at his pleasure and always fulfills his will.

Christ - No different here. She gives birth to the Son of God! It’s easy to get to Jesus in this sermon because he’s coming! Christ will come and reign over all. Notice, Gabriel does not mention Jesus’ suffering. Only his eventual glory.

App. What do we do with this? Celebrate the glory of Jesus Christ.

Sing to Him! He is the object of our worship! All of creation worships him!

Submit to Him. Is your life completely submissive to the King??

Truth #3: God’s grace compels us to serve (34-38)

Exp. Mary ends up responding differently than Zechariah. Verse 34. Zechariah asked for a sign because of unbelief. Mary asks how it will happen in light of her being unmarried and a virgin. John’s conception is extraordinary because of age. Jesus’ is more extraordinary because Mary is a virgin. Her response was different because of Gabriel’s response. Verse 35. Come upon = used 7x in Luke-Acts. Overshadow = envelope in a cloud. This imagery is similar language to Genesis 1:2. Hovering over the deep. HS did not impregnate Mary. God, through HS, created a body for Jesus to dwell. This is how he is holy. Fully man and fully God. Verse 36-37. Her response in Verse 38. Says she is his servant. To use as he sees fit. God’s grace spurs her to serve.

Ill. Jesus teaches this in the Unforgiving Servant parable (tell the story)

Arg. This is what God wanted Israel to be: servants to him. They never were. Isaiah points it out, and fulfills it in Christ. They never became this.

Christ - She was the servant Israel wasn’t, and Jesus becomes an even greater servant.

Philippians 2:5–11

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

App. What do we do? Respond to God as servant.

Is your life built on serving God or yourself?

Begin to shift your life in service to him.

Conclusion

The only way to advance the kingdom of God is to serve him as we are called.